Back in early 2007, Microsoft released Windows Vista, and with it, a $500 million dollar ad campaign to launch it. The ad campaign, much like most of Microsoft's advertising, was a flop.
Not only was it a flop, but Apple, and others had been preparing, and shooting at Microsoft's position for a few years at that point. And with the new Microsoft OS, they were in perfect position to hit hard.
For years before Vista, rival companies, advocacy groups, and many jealous of Microsoft's position had been hammering on Microsoft's image. It many communities, its considered by those most receptive to advertising that Microsoft is the enemy, evil extraordinaire. While Microsoft has many technologies that range from modern to futuristic, these receptive individuals call it buggy, and insecure, forty-second rate software not worth being paid to use, that only got its majority position through use of monopolistic practices (I know of no such person who could push such a product; aka its not possible).
And Microsoft does little to change these thoughts.
When Microsoft released Vista, it's campaign was weak, and definitely not worth half a billion dollars. Furthermore, they did nothing to fight hard hitting anti-Vista sentiment, caused by lies, and slander.
Well, soon, very soon, Microsoft is set to change that. And furthermore, they just added $200 million to their $300 million dollar pile, bringing it up to the half a billion that their failed campaign had. Soon, very soon, Microsoft is going to strike back. As in next month.
I can only hope that this thing has some ARG components, because that would be a blast. Microsoft's best stuff has been ARGs. In fact, to use a common phrase from Ed Bott and others, its Good Microsoft that releases the ARG marketing, Start Me Up and wonderful products like Live Mesh. Its Bad Microsoft that releases stuff like The Wow Starts Now and products like IE stagnating for over half a decade.
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